1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns monitoring devices aimed at improving driver safety and comfort without requiring numerous changes to the existing roadway network.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are often dangerous traffic jams on our roads and serious accidents may be caused by a mere lack of attention involving milliseconds.
One of the invention's aims is to provide monitoring devices that will help to draw the driver's attention to dangerous situations. Some solutions recently proposed in order to improve road safety generally demand great changes to the existing roadway network infrastructure, needing external energy sources such as Hertzien transmitters, cameras, etc . . .
Accidents due to the driver's drowsiness or inattention are still frequent because no effective monitoring system exists. Processes being developed and using cameras to observe the driver's posture are not able to detect a momentary distraction and prompt reaction is not always guaranteed.
A previous patent with reference U.S. Pat. No. 4,348,652 proposes an onboard device to check a motor vehicle straying off course, when moving between the center line and lateral markings of a lane.
The device such as described takes into account only centrally and laterally marked lines of a specific width (between 4 and 5 inches) in a tangential approach of the vehicle which would require a significant change in the lines painted on the roadway network.
This major change to the roadway network would actually only partially monitor the path of the vehicle, thus limiting any development of the system.